


Beginnings

by Aki (Akiko_Natsuko)



Category: Sengoku Basara
Genre: Battle, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, First Kiss, M/M, Misunderstandings, Rivalry, Training
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2019-08-20 10:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16553765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Aki
Summary: They were never destined to remain enemies, however, the path to friendship and more is rocky, especially when the rivalry is difficult to lay aside.





	1. Chapter 1

   Crimson and azure danced through the air, blinding the watchers below, magenta flashing briefly in the middle as Date and Yukimura clashed over and over, neither willing to be the first to give ground or bring their duel to an end. Katanas flashed, seeking an opening, but were denied at every turn by the skilled twist and twirl of spears and occasionally it seemed by sheer determination alone, until they were forced to break apart. Their gazes met, both wild-eyed from the thrill of the fight and then they were charging again, meeting in a devastating blur of red and blue, lighting up the sky around them, weapons locked as they fought for the upper hand. However, there was a flicker now to the edge of their aura, a weariness to their movements and this time when they broke apart, they fell earthwards, hitting the ground hard.

     For a moment the glow of red and blue tried to flicker back to life as the two of them tried to struggle back to their feet and back into the feet, but after a moment and with matching groans they abandoned their efforts, toppling onto their backs and letting their auras fade away completely.

    Heavy breathing was the only sound for a few minutes, both winded from the fight and the collision with the ground, and in the end it was Masamune who broke first. “Shit.” His usual curse lacked any real vehemence, his exhaustion showing through as he stared up at the clear sky above them, lost in the memory of how only moments before they had been soaring through that same blue expanse. Yukimura tilted his head to look at his rival, following Date’s gaze skywards as he nodded in agreement, sharing his disappointment that they had been forced earthwards once more. And that yet again they were left with no conclusion to their rivalry, because between their wounds from the earlier battle and facing Oda, followed by the numerous bruises and cuts they had managed to inflict on one another there was no way they were going to be able to resolve their conflict today.

   Sighing, he glanced out across the battlefield, making out the flashes of purple and yellow that still lit the sky in the distance and feeling a momentary spark of envy before he realised that they too were beginning to diminish in intensity. It seemed they wouldn’t be alone in their disappointment, and he tried not to feel relieved by that fact.

“Masamune-sama!”

“Danna!”

      The sudden burst of voices had Yukimura and Date twisting their heads in unison, to find Kojuro and Sasuke rushing towards them with matching expressions of concern. The shinobi was faster, darting ahead of the older retainer and rushing to Yukimura’s side, his usual grin dimmer than usual as he dropped down beside his General.

“I’m fine,” Yukimura muttered, disliking the concern in the amber eyes and trying to reassure Sasuke he pushed himself to his feet, regretting the decision when his legs threatened to give way beneath him, wobbling violently and Sasuke was there supporting him before he could even shift his weight onto his spears, leaning on the heavily.

“You have a strange definition of fine, Danna,” Sasuke muttered under his breath, although at this distance there was no way for Yukimura to miss it and he knew that he had been meant to hear it, grinning sheepishly at the loyal shinobi who clicked his tongue before glancing over at where Kojuro was helping an equally unsteady Masamune back to his feet.

   Date leant reluctantly against his retainer, his earlier attempts to support his own weight had been thwarted with a stern look and the fact that he had nearly toppled over, and he tried to ignore the knowing gaze he could feel burning into him as he turned to look across at his rival. Yukimura was clearly struggling to remain upright, and would probably have been on the ground again were it not for his spears and Sarutobi holding him up. It should have been a sight that had him grinning, if not mocking the younger teen, but instead he felt a surge of something else. Concern, maybe? However, it seemed more intense than the concern that he’d felt for Sanada during the Toyotomi incident, and back then he’d had nothing to reassure him, no way of knowing how the other was doing. So, why was he more worried now, when the fiery General was right there in front of his eyes? Tired, injured…but alive and surrounded by his own men. Safe.

   He didn’t know, but the feeling wouldn’t leave him alone and he hesitated for a moment longer before lifting his head. “Sanada,” he started and Yukimura turned to look at him, brown eyes curious, a slight furrowing of his brown showing that he had caught the odd tone in Date’s voice, and for a moment Masamune faltered, wondering what on earth he was doing. “You’re in no condition to make it back to Kai now,” the words escaped before he had fully finished martially his thoughts, and he felt Kojuro tense beside him as Yukimura seemed to bristle at the statement and he hurried to finish before he could make a mess of the situation. “You and your men are welcome to rest at Oushu.” The hand on his shoulder tightened, the only sign of Kojuro’s surprise and even that was quickly masked as his retainer took a deep breath and loosened his grip, but Masamune doubted that would be the end of it and he had feeling that eh would be having to explain the invitation later.

     Opposite he noticed Sarutobi eyeing him suspiciously, and there was a knowing glint in the amber eyes that made him uncomfortable and he hastily turned his attention back to Yukimura. His rival still looked startled by the invitation, staring at him with a surprisingly unreadable expression and as the silence seemed to stretch on Masamune began to regret his impulsive suggestion. He was about to take it back, when Yukimura’s face relaxed, returning to its previous openness as he offered Date a smile.

“If it would not be an imposition?” He asked and Masamune fought the urge to roll his eyes at the response, amused that even now Yukimura was as polite as ever, even though they had been doing their best to kill each other not that long ago.

“No problem,” he settled for saying in reply, inexplicably pleased that Yukimura had accepted the offer, feeling his lips curling up slightly and steadfastly refusing to look at Sasuke who seemed amused now that the decision had been made. “Kojuro,” he turned to the older man, straightening slowly and relieving his right-eye of his weight, hissing slightly as his body protested the movement and grateful when his legs didn’t immediately threaten to collapse this time. Kojuro hesitated for a second, clearly waiting to see if he was going to remain standing unaided, before he nodded and retreated, moving to round up the rest of their men who’d moved a safe distance away during his fight with Yukimura.  A quick glance from Yukimura saw Sasuke heading off to do the same with the Takeda men, muttering under his breath that he needed a pay-rise or promotion for all these extra duties he was pulling at the moment, earning a fond laugh from Yukimura that has Masamune frowning for no reason.

**

    It seemed their men were as eager to leave and rest as they were, assembling quickly, although not without some hesitation and curious glances at each other and their two Generals who seemed oblivious to the attention. They bid farewell to Maeda Keiji who was remaining behind to watch over Ieyasu and Mitsunari who were still fighting, although it seemed unlikely to last much longer, with their attacks growing weaker by the moment. Still the light was lit with yellow and purple as the Date and Takeda armies began to move out, heading towards Oushu, weary and wary of one another, but victorious, with their leaders riding quietly ahead of them.

****

    Yukimura had always been an early riser and despite the exertions of the day before, the next morning was no exception, the sun just peeping in through the window, casting a faint, golden light over the room and he was confused to realise that it wasn’t his own room. It took his sleepy, half-awake mind a moment to work out where he was, and it was the ache that made itself known as he sat up that reminded him of everything that had happened the previous day, and that they had arrived at Oushu late the previous evening. _Oushu,_ he still wasn’t sure what had prompted Date to extend the offer, and he had a feeling that Sasuke’s absence meant that his shinobi was on watch, but as he took in the room and waited for the sleep to fade from his thoughts, he was glad that he’d accepted.

   Once he felt a little more alert he stretched out stiff limbs, grimacing as fresh aches and pains made themselves known, he slowly pushed himself to his feet, staggering to his feet and glancing around. His armour was piled at the end of the futon and he moved to retrieve it, each movement stiff and awkward and it took him longer than he liked to change into his normal clothes and to fold the borrowed yukata and lay it on the futon, fingers curling against the material, remembering how Masamune had hesitated before handing it over to him the night before, almost as though he’d wanted to say something before retreating with a gruff farewell. He wrinkled his nose, it seemed as though Date was determined to confuse him at the moment, or maybe it was simply because they had never really had chance to interact outside of fighting.

    That realisation made him frown, a pang of regret accompanying it and he straightened. There was no time like the present, and he didn’t know how long it would be before they were crossing blades again, trying not to focus on the way his heartrate seemed to increase just at the thought of it.  He glanced at where his spears were leant against the wall, fingers itching to reach for them, but he fought off the urge before heading for the door that lead outside. He was a guest, Date had made that clear, and therefore there was no need for his weapons even if it did leave him feeling a little vulnerable as he went in search of his host.

    Venturing out into the courtyard that he had only glimpsed in passing the night before, he found himself tilting his head upwards to enjoy the warmth of the early morning sun, savouring it, as there had been moments during the battle the day before when he had thought that he might not survive. He took a deep breath, focusing on the fact that they had won, and he was still here, still alive. Feeling calmer he looked around, taking in the rather minimal ornamentation, so at odds with Kai, before his attention was drawn to the large Sakura tree that dominated the centre of the grassy area. It was just beginning to bloom, the morning light glinting off the first soft, pink blossoms nestled amongst its branches and it made for a beautiful sight, especially after the blood and violence of the previous day.

    His silent appreciation of the view was interrupted a couple of minutes later by the sound of movement from around the side of the compound, and remembering his desire to find his host and letting his curiosity get the better of him, he moved towards the sound.

    Rounding the corner, he came to an abrupt halt as he found the target of his search. Masamune was moving gracefully through the steps of his katana practice, each movement precise, although the slight hesitation to each movement and the deepening frown indicated that he too was feeling the effects of the previous day and Yukimura could make out bruises that had clearly formed overnight. Still it didn’t seem to be hindering Date too much, and it was thrilling to watch this side of him, so at odds with his wild, exuberance in battle, and it was a little odd to see him only practicing with one sword. Apart from their first meeting, Date had always used all six swords in their battles and whilst Yukimura was honoured to be considered worthy of that, it was a striking reminder of just how skilled his opponent was, regardless of the number of blades he wielded.

    He watched for a few more minutes, waiting to see if Masamune would notice him, but the older man was fully focused on his practice and finally Yukimura shifted from foot to foot, before breaking the silence. “Good morning, Masamune-dono,” he called cheerfully, wisely staying where he was, as Masamune started at the sudden intrusion of noise and whirled, katana pointing towards the threat before he realised who it was.

“Sanada,” Masamune returned after a moment, slowly lowering the blade as he realised that Yukimura wasn’t a threat, but he faltered, suddenly uncertain of what to do next. They’d never really spent time together that didn’t involve going for each other’s heads, or dealing with a crisis, and he realised with a start just how little he actually knew about the other General. Glancing around, keen to break the silence before it could become awkward, his attention returned to the blade he was holding, relaxing slightly as an idea finally popped into his head. He had to ignore the small voice that sounded remarkably like his Right-Eye, that told him that it wasn’t a good idea. “Good morning,” he belatedly returned the greeting, before his lips curled up in a challenging grin as he held up his weapon. “Do you fancy a practice spar?” He had tried but failed to keep the eagerness out of his voice at the thought of sparring with his rival, it was ridiculous how much the idea excited him, but it didn’t seem to matter as Yukimura caught the eagerness, and matched it with a grin of his own.

“Why not.” Yukimura made no effort to hide his own eagerness and Masamune relaxed, sheathing his weapon as he took a step back.

“Wait here then,” he instructed, before turning and disappearing through the doorway that lay behind him, that Yukimura guessed must lead through into Date’s chambers as he could vaguely make out the tapestry hung on the back wall, feeling a thrill at the sight of what appeared to be a woven dragon winding through the skies, thinking back to how they had soared the day before.

    Drawing his attention away from the tapestry Yukimura began to move around, trying to loosen up his muscles, knowing that his body was probably not going to enjoy the practice, but unwilling to pass up the opportunity to fight Date. He was just beginning to feel some of the stiffness easing when he heard Masamune returning and he turned to look at him, eyes narrowing as he took in the wooden weapons that the other man was carrying, immediately focusing on the spears that were clearly intended for him, before taking in the six wooden katanas which made him grin. Even when practicing it seemed that his rival was unwilling to underestimate him, and he could feel his spirts rising.

   When Masamune offered him the spears he took them willingly, weighing them for a moment, noting the differences between them and his own weapons before looking up at Date. “Wooden weapons?” He asked, moving through the first few steps of the practice sequences he usually used, testing their weight and wincing as his body protested at the movement.

“Neither of us are up for an all out fight today,” Masamune replied and Yukimura knew that he had caught the wince, grateful when he didn’t comment on it, instead readying his own weapons before adding with a grimace. “Plus, Kojuro and that monkey Ninja of yours would probably give us hell if we went at it properly.”

    Yukimura wrinkled his nose at the nickname for Sasuke, although he knew that his second in command would probably laugh at it, before sighing. “That’s true,” he had to admit, recalling how Sasuke had warned him the previous evening that he wasn’t to go picking fights whilst they were guests in Oushu. Still he didn’t think the Shinobi would really be able to protest a practice spar, especially one with wooden weapons, and even if he did, then he could point out that Date had been the one to suggest it and that to argue would have risked offending their host…not that Sasuke would’ve believed that excuse for a minute.

“I’m not going to hold back too much though,” Masamune warned, drawing Yukimura’s attention back to the present, and he could see the anticipation in Date’s eyes as he dropped into a ready position and Yukimura grinned, meeting his gaze evenly, not hiding his amusement as he retorted.

“Neither will I.”

     There was no warning, nothing to betray his movement, before Date was charging towards Yukimura, slashing at him with the wooden blades, only to find empty air as Yukimura sprang upwards with a speed that belied the aches riddling his body. With a low growl he was forced to dance backwards as Yukimura twisted in mid-air, shooting back towards him, the twin spears only narrowly missing him and leaving deep furrows in the grass. He didn’t allow Yukimura chance to recover, moving forward to meet him, blades a blur of movement in his hands, but they were easily deflected, Yukimura deftly turning each seeking blade away whist searching for his own opening.  Without the blinding flares of light that usually accompanied their battles they were able to appreciate each other’s moves more, dancing in and out of the path of blows with a precision that was usually lacking their high-powered conflicts.

    However, it wasn’t long before their usual recklessness and exhilaration began to creep into the fight as neither seemed to be gaining or losing ground, and they began to collide with more and more force, charging at one another with increasing determination. The clack of wood of wood filling the courtyard, as they traded blows before springing apart, only to reengage a moment later. There was a split second where Masamune seemed to have the upper hand, and he let out a triumphant shout as he began to drive Yukimura backwards, only for it to become a curse as Yukimura flung himself forward, both spears coming to bear as he engaged the multiple katanas without the slightest hint of hesitation.

     Heat flared in the air around them as their weapons locked, both straining for dominance, refusing to give up a single step, even as they fought to contain their flaring power. Their gazes met as they eventually broke apart when it became clear they weren’t going to break the stalemate, both breathing heavily and flushed, but they didn’t rest, charging as one, their challenging roars echoing through the air. This time when they collided, the rush of excitement was too much, their power spiralling out of control as their weapons locked once more. Crimson and azure light filled the air between them, swelling, surging, and beneath the force of it all the wooden weapons shattered, the backlash sending them flying until they collided with the courtyard wall, the stone bringing their impromptu flight to an abrupt end.

“Shit…” Masamune groaned as he reached up to rub at his head, grimacing as he felt the tender skin beneath his probing fingers, before glancing at the partially collapsed wall he was resting against and the rubble scattered around them. _Kojuro was going to kill him._ It took him a second to become aware of the fact that eh was resting on top of something warm, and a low moan made him quickly move aside, a sudden, unexpected heat rising in his cheeks as he realised that he’d landed firmly on top of his rival. “You okay?” He asked, tense until he caught Yukimura’s nod, and he was sure he felt the heat in his cheeks intensifying as he offered a hand to Yukimura who was rubbing ruefully at his abdomen despite his claim to be find. He was about to demand a more honest answer, but Yukimura had grasped the proffered hand, his own face turning crimson as Masamune pulled him to his feet with a gentleness that he had never used before.

    Masamune quickly released him once he was sure Yukimura could stand unaided, moving a few steps back, wide-eyed as he stared at his blushing rival. Yukimura blinked, seemingly becoming aware of the heat in his cheeks and looking away awkwardly, fingers curling into fists at his side and Masamune was frantically casting around for something to break the silence that had fallen when they both froze at the sound of running footsteps.

   Embarrassment forgotten in favour of alarm they glanced at each other, wide-eyed before guiltily taking in the damage that their ‘practice spar’ had caused. The courtyard wall was partially collapsed, and it seemed that the shockwave from that final collision had ripped through the area, leaving everything looking worse for wear, scorch marks marking the spot where they had lost control and they grimaced in unison, knowing that there was no way for them to hide this. “I guess wooden weapons didn’t really work,” Masamune muttered as his gaze fell on the splintered remains of their weapons, the remnants scattered across the ground, but in truth he felt little regret over that fact, or that they had both managed to lose control. It was thrilling to realise that their rivalry was intense regardless of the situation, to know that they could fight without aiming to kill and still have the same ferocity to their battles.

“Masamune-sama…” The stern voice cut through his wondering thoughts and his silence pondering as to why he had felt relief at that last one, and they both turned around, guilt-written across their faces as they found an exasperated looking Kojuro standing in the arch that lead into the courtyard, Sasuke barely a step behind him. Both men looked stunned by the damage the pair had managed to cause, and Masamune grimaced, catching the way Yukimura was shifting under the force of their glares, amused to see there was still a trace of the blush on his rival’s face.

“What happened to no fighting, Danna?” Sasuke demanded, glowering at his General in disapproval as he stepped past Kojuro to get a better look at the damage, although he hadn’t missed the blush lingering in Yukimura’s face and he couldn’t resist a curious glance at Masamune, wondering just what had happened between the pair whilst his back was turned.

“It was only a practice spar,” Yukimura protested without heat, gesturing at the remains of their wooden weapons as though that would appease their retainers, before glancing at Masamune for support, who rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he glanced towards Kojuro.

“It just got a little it out of hand.”

“I suggest that there are no more practice spars for the time being,” Kojuro replied after a moment, shaking his head as he glanced around at the damage. His proclamation was met with disappointed sighs from both Generals, before they reluctantly nodded in agreement, although neither could hide the small smiles that escape as they glanced at one another and then at the practice weapons, and he shared an exasperated look with Sasuke. Both aware that whilst their warnings and words might be heeded for the time being, neither Yukimura nor Masamune regretted their fight, and that inevitably it would happen again.


	2. Chapter 2

  

   Yukimura was rubbing his temples as he slipped out of the guestroom that he had been given, and out into the courtyard, trying to stave off the headache that was forming. Sighing with relief as fresh air hit his face, he shook his head and glanced back to make sure that he wasn’t being followed. After the practice spar had got out of hand, Sasuke had pulled him away and lectured him about behaving himself while they were in ‘enemy’ territory, reinforcing that now also included practice spars as it was apparent that he and Masamune couldn’t hold back under any circumstances. Yukimura hadn’t been able to disagree, as they had got out of hand, not that he’d had a chance as this Shinobi had been in full flow, and he had started to think that he was going to be stuck there for hours – hence the headache.

    Then reprieve had arrived in the form of their scouts returning, and while Yukimura knew that technically he should’ve stayed to listen to their reports, he had taken advantage of the distraction to escape. He grimaced as he glanced back, glad to see that he wasn’t being followed, although he had a feeling that he would probably get another lecture about that once Sasuke caught up with him. However, he decided it was worth it for the current peace and quiet, taking another deep breath as he felt the headache beginning to ease, only to find himself nearly leaping out of his skin as an unexpected voice rang out.

“You finally escaped then?”  Acutely aware that he was weaponless, although he doubted that anyone would have got this far inside the compound without an alarm being raised, and he glanced around, relaxing minutely when he found his rival sprawled contentedly against the sakura tree that dominated the centre of the courtyard.

“Finally,” Yukimura replied wearily, before moving across to join Masamune who smirked at the exhausted irritation contained in that single word. He had managed to escape his own lecture early on, as Kojuro had been distracted by questions about their crops, something that they both knew he was better at dealing with, allowing Masamune to escape. Although, he knew that he would probably hear the rest of it later on, as Kojuro had barely finished scolding him about the damage done to their home, let along started on how to behave when they had guests. It didn’t look like Yukimura had been so lucky going by the disgruntled expression, and the way he had been massaging his temples when he’d first stepped outside.

“Sit,” Masamune gestured at the space beside him, when he realised that Yukimura had faltered and was hesitating to join him, shuffling across to give the other room to lean back against the tree. He waved off the quiet ‘thank you’ as Yukimura obeyed, settling down on the grass and leaning back against the trunk with a relieved sigh, that had his eye narrowing. “How are your injuries?” Now that he was paying attention, he could see that Yukimura was still moving gingerly, and favouring one side, realising that their earlier battle, and then the final collision with the wall couldn’t have helped, and had probably added some extra bruises.

“I’m sore, but it’s nothing serious,” Yukimura admitted, and there was an easiness to the response and the small shrug that followed, that reassured Masamune that he wasn’t lying. Although he had a feeling, he was downplaying it at least a little – mainly, because it was something he would do, and he was unsurprised when brown eyes focused on him a moment later. “Yours?” Yukimura’s gaze lingered where he knew the worst of the damage that Mitsunari had caused, even before their own fight and the earlier spar.

“They’re nothing that a couple of days of rest, and some sake won’t fix,” he replied confidently, carefully biting back a wince as he gestured a little too enthusiastically. Thankfully, it seemed to go unnoticed as Yukimura seemed to be focused on the rest of what he had said, and he smirked before explaining. “The men will probably be celebrating tonight.” _‘Probably’_ was an understatement, as he knew his men, just as they knew him enough to know that this was the kind of situation where he would willingly join in.

     Yukimura hummed under his breath and nodded. That explained why many of the Date men that he had encountered during the day had been cheerful, albeit a little wary around him, and he could understand. It was the same in Kai, especially after a difficult or close won battle, and considering what they had all just faced and survived, he could understand the need to celebrate and remind themselves that they were alive. He glanced at Masamune for a moment, having caught the wince although he’d decided to let it slide for now, before relaxing back against the tree and closed his eyes. It was peaceful here, something he would never have thought possible around the man sat next to him, and he intended to make the most of it. Enjoying the unfathomable comfortableness that seemed to have settled between them, although he knew that he would be just as content when they were back to fighting and swinging for each other’s heads once more.

****

   True to Masamune’s prediction and expectations, the mood within the compound and the wider village was buoyant all afternoon, as the sun started to set, it shifted towards a celebratory air, and as the first stars appeared in the night sky, the sake began to flow. The Takeda soldiers were made warmly welcome, the tensions and war set aside for once, and soon the night was filled with chatter, laughter and more than a little drunken singing as they all took advantage of the temporary peace. As some of the drinking became a little more rambunctious, with good-natured brawls and competitions of strength breaking out, Yukimura and Masamune retreated to the tree once more out of consideration for their injuries. However, they were still enjoying the revelry albeit from a distance, as they sat, knees touching and drinking sake, although Yukimura was careful to drink in moderation as he was painfully aware of his own low tolerance and keen to avoid anything that would bring Sasuke’s wrath down on his head once more.

    As he sipped his sake, it occurred to Masamune that he hadn’t felt this peaceful and content for a long time, and with a slight frown, he let his gaze drift to his companion. He was aware enough of his own feelings, even with the growing warmth and buzz from the drink, to know that Yukimura played a large part in that contentment. Yukimura was distracted, gazing up at the sky and tracing the stars that had become more visible as the night progressed, his eyes warm and bright with laughter as he listened to the chaos around them, and there was a faint flush in his face from either the sake or laughter or perhaps both. It had been exhilarating in a way that he could never have anticipated spending time with the young tiger outside of their usual conflicts, which had eased whatever doubts he might have had about bringing his ‘enemy’ into his home. As he looked at Yukimura now, for the first time, he could start to understand the strange closeness that had existed between Usegi and Takeda, which had always gone beyond what he would expect of a rivalry.

_But, is this what that was?_

    Slowly he allowed his gaze to trail across Yukimura, taking advantage of his companion’s distraction to study him closely, humming under his breath as he took another sip of sake, recalling their morning spar and the warmth that had flooded him when he’d landed on top of his rival. He smirked now, hiding it behind his sake cup, as he remembered how Yukimura had blushed, and how the crimson hadn’t faded even when they’d finally escaped the joint dressing down and separated to go and clean up after the spar. Idly, or at least that’s what he told himself, he found himself wondering how Yukimura would react to another, perhaps less innocent touch if he’d blushed so much just from an accidental collision.

    For some reason, perhaps due to the amount of sake he’d drunk, that idea became fixated in his mind over the next few minutes, as his eyes continued to trace the profile of the other man, before coming to a halt on Yukimura’s lips.  He had seen Yukimura angry and focused, his mouth pursed and set with determination, but right now he was smiling, the very picture of peaceful, innocent contentment as he star-gazed, utterly unaware of his watchful gaze. With that thought playing in his mind, and that smile in front of his eyes, the curiosity was overwhelming, and he worried at his bottom lip for a moment, overcome by the overwhelming need to indulge in his curiosity.

“Sanada…” The name slipped out, little more than a breath of sound before he’d realised what he was doing, and he was already moving, leaning forward and smirking when Yukimura immediately turned to look at him in question. _Naïve,_ he thought briefly, finding it oddly endearing, before it melted away as he kissed Yukimura.

     Yukimura had been a million miles away, enjoying the peace and company, the laughter and chatter in the distance allowing him to relax completely, and he had jolted a little when Masamune had called to him. Now though he was frozen in place, a blush already spreading across his cheeks as he realised that Masamune was leaning in, and what was about to happen, but he couldn’t bring himself to move. Then there were warm lips pressed against his, and he was surprised and yet unsurprised when a spark ran through his body, similar to the same one that flooded him whenever they fought. _Oh…_ He wasn’t sure when he moved from passive acceptance to responding, too many feelings and thoughts whirling around, and it was only when Masamune moved to deepen the kiss, tongue flicking across his lips that he came out of his daze.

    Unfortunately, that meant that his surprise and flustered embarrassment came rushing back in an overwhelming flood, and he knew that his cheeks had to be flaming crimson as he pulled back, staring wide-eyed at Masamune. The other man was staring at him, heat in his gaze, although Yukimura took some comfort from the fact that he looked almost as stunned as he felt, although there was also a hint of something else…disappointment he realised eventually, in the other’s expression. Part of him wanted to reach out or to say something, but the words wouldn’t come, and his hand wouldn’t move, and at a loss of what else to do he found himself stumbling to his feet, swaying out of reach of the half-hearted hand that made a grab to stop him.

“I-I…” He stammered and shook his head, before managing an awkward half bow. “Good night, Masamune-done.” He wasn’t sure which of them looked more disappointed as he fell back on the honorific, drawing comfort from the formality no matter how forced, and he was barely able to meet the intense, blue-eyed gaze that followed him as he retreated, all but fleeing under the heated stare that followed him until he was out of sight.

*

    Masamune sighed as Yukimura disappeared from sight, wondering what on earth had possessed him to kiss the rival, as the flustered reaction and the fact that the other had all but fled at top speed, cutting through the curiosity and haze from earlier. He was fully aware that he’d drunk more than he should have, and certainly a lot more than Yukimura had, but it wasn’t enough for him to be able to blame his actions entirely on the sake, especially as he had frequently drunk more in the past and done nothing like that. _Because he wasn’t here then,_ a small voice pointed out unhelpfully, and he spared half a second to wonder at the fact that it had sounded like Kojuro before shaking his head and turning his attention back to where Yukimura had disappeared from sight.

_But he responded…_

    Right now, he wasn’t sure whether that was a relief or not. It was reassuring to know that it hadn’t been entirely one-sided, especially as Yukimura had barely drunk anything, and yet he had responded and then fled before he could say anything. _So, what the hell does that mean?_ He scowled and muttering a curse he flopped down on his back, pushing the sake bottle away from him, and staring up at the sky. It was a clear night, the stars standing out vividly across the inky sky, and slowly he traced them as he tried to settle his thoughts. However, his thoughts wouldn’t quieten, and he found himself reaching up and brushing a finger over his lips, recalling the spark from their kiss, so wonderfully similar to the rush that came from fighting Yukimura and yet so different. “Damn it,” he grumbled, forcing himself to stop, letting his hand fall to the grass as he closed his eye, and took a deep breath as he tried to make head or tails of what he had done, and what he was going to do now.

_Where do we go from here?_

****

    While he had always known that Yukimura would be unable to stay for long, Masamune was still somewhat disappointed when he woke the next morning to find the Takeda forces already preparing to leave. He had almost said something about it, before he had come face to face with his rival, realising that the shorter man was barely able to look at him, and then when he spoke, it was more stilted than Masamune had ever heard it before, and it hadn’t taken long for the conversation to sputter and die. Leaving him to watch in sullen silence as Yukimura interacted with Sasuke and the rest of his men like usual, carefully avoiding even so much as glancing in his direction, unaware of the energy that crackled around him at points as his frustration built.

“Sanada!” He finally forced himself to speak as Yukimura swung himself up into the saddle, refusing to continue until the other man glanced at him. “I look forward to our next battle.” It was a far cry from what he wanted to say but considering Yukimura’s attitude and the size of their current audience there wasn’t much more he could do. Although that didn’t stop him from growling under his breath as his words were greeted by an awkward nod and wave, before Yukimura urged his horse forward, leading his men towards the gate without a backwards glance. Sarutobi was the last to leave, glancing between them with a curious expression and Date scowled at him, having a feeling that shinobi had too much of an idea of what had transpired, and he was relieved when Sasuke took off after Yukimura.

“Masamune-sama?” Kojuro was the one to approach him as his expression settled into a dark glower as the last of the Takeda forces passed beyond the gate. Masamune had been in a strange mood all morning, and Kojuro had noticed the sudden tension between the two, even before the almost painfully stilted farewells, and he wondered what on earth could have happened as they had been getting on surprisingly well. Even the practice spar had been amicable, despite the damage they had caused, but the few enquiries he had made had so far been unanswered or had given him no useful information, and he lifted an eyebrow when the younger man muttered a curse under his breath before looking at him.

“It’s nothing.” He didn’t have a chance to comment on the blatant lie before Masamune had turned and walked away, and he couldn’t hide his concern as he watched his lord’s shoulders slumped as he walked away. _What happened last night?_

For his part, Masamune had already dismissed the question as his thoughts returned to that damned kiss, and the disappointment he’d felt when Yukimura had informed him in that strange, stilted voice that he was returning to Kai. He couldn’t help but feel that he should have said or done something more, although he wasn’t sure what. However, the fact that Yukimura had practically fled, both last night and this morning unsettled him, especially as he had never seen the other retreat from anything unless absolutely necessary, and it had left him adrift and even more confused than he had been in the wake of the kiss itself.

**

   Sasuke was also aware that something had happened between Yukimura and Date. He wasn’t entirely sure what had happened, but he had his suspicions, especially after how they had been acting that morning, and he sighed, having a feeling that he would find out sooner rather than later. And that it would probably give him a headache when he did, and not for the first time he wondered how he, a shinobi, had ended up in this peculiar position. Not that he would trade it for the world, he admitted as he moved up alongside Yukimura’s horse, keeping up with ease, and enjoying the exercise after a couple of days of being cooped up. “Danna?” He asked cautiously, hoping that Yukimura might make it easier for him by coming clean now, especially as he had to admit that he was worried by the discontent on his lord’s face and the slight slump to his shoulders. It was unlike Yukimura, especially when the fiery general had been on top of the world the previous day, enjoying the snatched moment of peace, and the chance to spar with Masamune despite how it had ended.

    For a moment he thought that he wasn’t going to get a response, but then Yukimura glanced at him with such a conflicted expression that Sasuke almost faltered. _What did he do to put that expression on your face?_ He wanted to demand, hand slipping to his shurikens, wishing that he had pressed the issue when they were still in Oushu. “It’s nothing,” Yukimura replied finally before Sasuke could give in to the temptation to draw the weapon, although the hesitation and the heaviness in those simple words did little to ease the shinobi’s concerns. However, there was an edge to the words, and something about Yukimura’s expression that told him that now was the time or place to push for answers, especially not with so many listening ears around them, and with a sigh he nodded.  
  
 _You'll tell me eventually..._


	3. Chapter 3

 

    Sasuke was used to spending his time worrying about his Danna, it had been part of his life since Yukimura had been a young child. It bothered him, but it was familiar. What wasn’t familiar, as he watched Yukimura moving through the steps of his spear practice with the same fluidity of usual, was the fact that he didn’t know what was bothering the younger man. It had been four days since they’d returned to Kai, and although Yukimura seemed to go through the paces, the spark that made him the young Tiger of Kai seemed to have been extinguished. Even now as he moved with a warrior’s grace and focus there was a faraway look in his eyes, and an unhappy set to his mouth, the brave face he had been adopting around Sasuke fading for a moment as he thought himself unobserved.

_Danna…_

    He frowned, dropping into a crouch as he studied Yukimura. It wasn’t just the fact that he didn’t know what was bothering him, but also the fact that he had made no effort to talk to him about it that left him on edge. They had always been close, too close some people had whispered at times, and it had always been him that Yukimura turned to when something was bothering him. Which had admittedly been rare, as it was unlike Yukimura to worry too much about things, but it was even more unusual for him not to share it with his loyal shinobi. So, what was different this time? What could be so bad that he felt it was necessary for him to face it alone? To the point where even the most subtle attempts to broach the topic had met fierce rebuttals, to the point where Yukimura had actually walked away from him the day before.

    The only clue he had was that this mood had only set in after their stay with Masamune, and the strange, strained farewell the pair had shared, and now he regretted leaving the warring pair alone during their visit as it seemed that something had happened when he’d relaxed his watch. Yet at the time they had appeared to be getting on well, even their slightly over-enthusiastic sparring had seemed like a good time, and he had hoped that time together would have helped them to build on their rivalry to develop a relationship similar to that of the late Tiger of Kai and the War God. And it had seemed, for a time at least that they were going to get to that point.

_So, what happened to change that?_

**

   He was no closer to an answer the next morning when he’d made his way to Yukimura’s rooms to report on his scouts’ latest findings, hoping that having something to focus on would help bring his General back onto an even keel. Or at least that he would be in a better mood than he had been, and maybe willing to at least consider opening up to him about what had been bothering, because something had to give, as at this point the entire compound was on edge as everyone noticed Yukimura’s unusual mood. If he couldn’t find answers here, then he was seriously considering heading towards Oushu to see if Masamune would give something away about what had happened between them, wondering what the world had come to that he could imagine the One-eyed Dragon being more cooperative than his own General.

“Taishou?!” He called halting at the door and waiting for a response, frowning as the seconds ticked over into minutes with no response from the rooms beyond. He knew that Yukimura would be awake at this time because the younger man had never been one for sleeping in late. “Danna?” He tried again, falling back on the old manner of address, waiting for a minute or two before stepping forward and cautiously sliding the door open, one hand automatically slipping down to grasp a shuriken, amber eyes alert as he scanned the rooms.

    They were clearly empty, but that did little to ease his worry, especially as he realised that there was no sign of Yukimura’s armour, and more worrying that his spears that were usually kept in their stand were also missing. There was no evidence of a struggle, and he knew that Yukimura would not have gone without a fight regardless of what had been bothering him for the last few days, which meant that he had to have left of his own free will, and for a reason that Sasuke didn’t understand, and he cursed under his breath. He should have pushed for answers and refused to back off until he got them because he should have seen this coming – Yukimura had never been one to hide from his problems, preferring to face them head on even if he wasn’t ready to do so.

_The question is, what has he gone to face this time…?_

     Sasuke was just turning to leave, intending to question the guards and have a few sharp words with them about letting their General leave without letting him know when he caught a flash of white out of the corner of his eye. Abandoning his shuriken, he moved across and scooped up the scrap of parchment, studying it with narrow eyes as he deciphered the messy scrawl before his shoulders slumped and he huffed out a sigh that was a mix of annoyance and relief. On the one hand he knew where Yukimura had gone, on the other hand, he didn’t know why and it didn’t change the fact that his General had taken off on his own, at a time when there were people out for his head, and it was that thought that had him heading for the door.

****

**Oushu.**

“Masamune-sama?” Kojuro called as he halted outside of Date’s chambers, tilting his head as he listened for movement inside, hoping that he was going to find him in a better mood than he’d been in for the last few days. _Ever since Sanada Yukimura left,_ he amended as he rapped on the door again when there was no reply. He’d try to find out what had happened between the pair after the way they’d parted ways, but to no avail, and it worried him more than he cared to admit as it was rare for Date to bottle up whatever was bothering. And even more unusual for his Right-eye to be unable to determine what the problem was just from observing him and his behaviour, but he was at a loss at the moment, and until he knew what the issue was there was no way for him to approach the problem of knocking some sense into his General.

     _We should never have let them leave,_ he thought, knowing that there was no way they could have stopped it. Once he had thought it was impossible for anyone to match Date for sheer stubbornness, but Sanada had proven himself more than equal to the task on more than one opportunity, and he knew that it would have been war to try and keep him here. He almost wanted to regret letting the Kai forces stay. Almost. Because despite how it had ended, Date had been more content than he’d been in a long time when his rival had been here, and Kojuro knew that he wouldn’t have intervened with that even if he’d known how it would end. Still, it left him with s General who had been alternating between a foul mood that he had inflicted on everyone around him, and a worrying quiet, that had Kojuro’s nerves on edge, as it was never a good sign when Date was quiet.

      Especially when he refused to acknowledge his Right-Eye’s presence, he thought, staring at the door for a moment before deciding that it was better to face Masamune’s wrath, than to wait out here, and hope that the issue would resolve itself. The last few days had already proven that wasn’t going to be the case and taking a deep breath he slid the door open and stepped inside, praying that he wasn’t about to get a katana or six thrown in his direction. However, the rooms beyond were silent and still, the air seeming to hold its breath after the storm of Date’s temper over the last few days, and he took another step inside, frowning as he realised that not only was Masamune himself absent, but his armour and swords were also missing. Which might not have been such a concern were it not for the fact that he had passed through the usual places where Masamune would practice, and they had been empty, or in use by their men with no sign of their General.

_So, where has he gone?_

    He wasn’t so much worried about Masamune’s safety, especially in his current mood, although that might make him more reckless than usual. No, his main concern lay with the thought of some hapless retainer getting in his way when his temper was so close to the surface, and he was turning away, intending to go and track down his wayward General, hopefully before he did do anything when he spied the message pinned to the wall. Torn between exasperation at the placement, as he had nearly missed it and surprise that Date had even had the foresight to leave him a message, he moved to retrieve it, scanning the words. It was short and to the point, very much like Masamune, declaring that he had gone to see Sanada Yukimura – which would have been alarming under normal circumstances, let alone right now when he wasn’t sure whether they were rivals or enemies.

    He was still considering the note and what he was going to do when he felt a disturbance in the air behind him. Whirling around with a speed and grace born of years of experience, his katana already in his hand as he found himself face to face with Sarutobi Sasuke who merely grinned at him, seemingly unfazed by the weapon being pointed at him.

“Katakura-dono.”

“What do you want Sarutobi?” Kojuro demanded as he slowly sheathed his weapon, deciding that the shinobi’s body language spoke of concern rather than a threat at the moment.

 “Actually, I’m searching for Danna,” Sasuke replied, noting the terseness underneath the question, a rare occurrence as Katakura was usually an island of calm in the chaos that their Lords could create, and he decided that he was relieved that the katana had been put away if he was in that kind of mood. Still, he hurried to continue as he noticed the other’s eyes narrowing at his words. “He slipped out early this morning without a word to anyone, but he left a note saying that he was going to come and the Dokuganryū.’

“Masamune-sama left a similar note,” Kojuro replied after a moment, indicating the message in his hands, brow furrowing. He knew that Sarutobi travelled fast, but the fact that he clearly hadn’t passed either of their charges was somewhat concerning. “Perhaps they met en route?” He wasn’t sure that was any better than either of them disappearing off the face of the earth, because they could cause more than enough chaos when unsupervised.

“Possibly, I didn’t see any trace of them, but if they’re riding, then they would have taken a different route to mine,” Sasuke murmured, frowning at the note. He had hoped that he would find Yukimura on the way here so that he could try and defuse whatever was going to happen between the pair, but he had seen and heard nothing, and he shifted uneasily from foot to foot, amber eyes intent as his gaze moved from the note to the other man. “I don’t suppose Dokuganryū told you what happened between them while we here, did he? Only Danna has been in a strange mood ever since we left.”

“Masamune-sama has also been in a terrible mood for the last few days, but no he hasn’t told me what was bothering him,” Kojuro replied. Reluctant to admit that he didn’t know, but deciding to match Sasuke’s honesty with his own, rubbing at the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache building at the thought of what could happen between their Lords and what he was about to propose. “Sarutobi, we should probably go after them. If they’re both upset over, something, it’s going to be explosive if they come up against each other.” Sasuke winced at the thought of it, but unable to argue with Kojuro’s assessment, he nodded his agreement.

_Danna, try not to do anything stupid until we get there._

****

   For the first time since he’d first encountered Sanada Yukimura, Masamune found himself at a loss, unsure of what he was going to do when he came face to face with the other General. Part of him wanted to fight the other man as he always did whenever he thought about his rival, wanting to revel in the clash of azure on crimson, and maybe finally resolve their rivalry if they were finally free to fight without supervision or interference. Even now he could feel the echo of the rush he’d felt when they were just sparring with wooden weapons, and he wanted to chase that feeling, his hand drifting towards his katanas just at the thought of it. However, his fingers had barely brushed the hilt of the top one, when he found his thoughts shifting, drifting back to the kiss that had left him in such a quandary since the Tiger of Kai had left.

  _What was I thinking?_

     He still didn’t have an answer, but he knew that for everything that had happened since, and his own doubts and thoughts, he didn’t regret it. He didn’t know where to go from here, or what either of them wanted, but he couldn’t and wouldn’t take it back, and slowly his hand moved away from his swords, shoulders slumping. Why couldn’t he be as sure about everything else as he was about that?

    The sound of thundering hooves approaching from the front shattered his concentration, pulling him out of his disordered thoughts, and he instinctively lunged for his swords, bracing for an attack before he’d even looked up to face the threat. Eyes widening as crimson fluttered in the air, a strange kind of panic descending as he realised who it was galloping towards him, not sure what to make of the determined set to the usually cheerful face or the fierce glint in Yukimura’s eyes as he spotted him.

“Sanada Yukimura,” he murmured, even though inwardly he was cursing up a storm as he realised that their confrontation was coming before he’d even begun to start sorting out the tangled thoughts in his head. His hands hovering uncertainly over his weapons for a moment, indecision holding him in place, and he was about to draw them, deciding that the familiarity of fighting was simpler than everything else between them, when he realised that Yukimura looked just as uncertain as he reached a hand towards his spears before hesitating. Apparently just as reluctant to draw them, as Masamune was to draw his own weapons.

   Time seemed to slow to a stop as they drew level, hands still hovering uncertainly over weapons, and this close, and seeing the spark in Yukimura’s eyes, Date made a decision. Abandoning his weapons, and hoping that this wasn’t a mistake he moved, leaping off his horse with a blast of blue, which sent him careening into Yukimura, knocking the other warrior off his horse with a startled yelp. They landed heavily with a clatter of armour, their horses bolting in alarm at the crash, but Date paid them no mind as he swiftly rolled them over until he was leant of Yukimura. His gaze was intense as he watched Yukimura realise their position, shifting uncertainly beneath them, even as a blush crept across his cheeks just as it had in the courtyard that day.

_I want this._

 For the first time in days, he had clarity, but still, he hesitated, waiting for Yukimura to meet his gaze before asking softly. Fiercely. “Tell me, you don’t want this?” He made himself wait, not wanting to repeat what had happened with that first kiss, Yukimura stilling beneath him, and there was a pause, as though they were both holding their breath and then he nodded, just a small, jerky movement of his head, but it was enough. Masamune closing the distance between them in an instant, kissing him fiercely, feeling the same spark that had driven him crazy mere days before. There was a moment as Yukimura hesitated, overwhelmed just as he had been back then, but then he was responding, matching Masamune’s passion with his own, both blind to the way crimson and azure light blazed around them.

 


End file.
